- Anemia is a decrease in normal number of red blood cells or less than the normal quantity of hemoglobin in the blood.
- Anemia is the most common disorder of the blood.
- The three main classes of anemia include excessive blood loss (acutely such as a hemorrhage or chronically through low-volume loss), excessive blood cell destruction (hemolysis) or deficient red blood cell production (ineffective hematopoiesis).
- Most commonly, people with anemia report non-specific symptoms of a feeling of weakness, or fatigue, general malaise and sometimes poor concentration.
- In severe anemia, there may be signs of a hyperdynamic circulation: a fast heart rate (tachycardia), flow murmurs, and cardiac enlargement.
- 50 percent of nursing home residents have anemia2
- Chronic anemia may result in behavioral disturbances in children as a direct result of impaired neurological development in infants, and reduced scholastic performance in children of school age.
- People with rheumatoid arthritis may acquire iron deficiency anemia.
- 80 percent of chemotherapy patients have severe anemia4-6
- 20 percent of pregnant women in the U.S. have anemia1
- In severe cases of anemia, or with ongoing blood loss, a blood transfusion may be necessary.
Anemia quick facts
